Nitin Kumar looking to “cause trouble” at PDC World Championship

He has yet to step onto the Alexandra Palace oche for the first time. But Nitin Kumar’s PDC World Championship chances are already being written off.

Kumar, the World Championship qualifier from India, faces Jeffrey de Zwaan in the first round. Rob Cross awaits the winner. And there is already plenty of buzz surrounding the prospect of the current PDC world number facing renowned giant-killer de Zwaan. But that discounts Kumar – the 33-year-old will be looking to make himself known in London.

“He’s a great player,” Kumar said of De Zwaan in a Darts Actueel interview.

“I feel that he will become one of the best players in the world in the coming years.

“I do think that if I play at my best and make the most of mistakes he makes, I can cause him trouble. That would be interesting.”

Kumar has some stage experience, having appeared at the PDC World Cup of Darts. He also attended two PDC Asian Tour events in 2018. But the Coimbatore-born thrower admits that the World Championship is another matter entirely.

“It’s very different from the two PDC World Cups I’ve played before,” he admitted.

“I go there with a mindset that I have to do my utmost. Every game on stage helps me to make mentally better and brings me to a higher level.

“That is what the plan is to do in London.”

Kumar confirmed that his post-World Championship plans are already wrapped up, no matter what happens at the Alexandra Palace.

“I’ll be participating in Q-School next year.

“I know what the level is to grab a Tour Card during Q-School. I also know that I can play at that level.

“For me it is more to maintain my composure and to throw at a constant level.”